1
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Ezzemani W, Altawalah H, Windisch M, Ouladlahsen A, Saile R, Kettani A, Ezzikouri S. Identification of Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease and NS5 polymerase inhibitors by structure-based virtual screening of FDA-approved drugs. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:8073-8088. [PMID: 37528667 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2242963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne human flavivirus responsible that causing emergency outbreaks in Brazil. ZIKV is suspected of causing Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults and microcephaly. The NS2B-NS3 protease and NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), central to ZIKV multiplication, have been identified as attractive molecular targets for drugs. We performed a structure-based virtual screening of 2,659 FDA-approved small molecule drugs in the DrugBank database using AutoDock Vina in PyRx v0.8. Accordingly, 15 potential drugs were selected as ZIKV inhibitors because of their high values (binding affinity - binding energy) and we analyzed the molecular interactions between the active site amino acids and the compounds. Among these drugs, tamsulosin was found to interact most efficiently with NS2B/NS3 protease, as indicated by the lowest binding energy value (-8.27 kJ/mol), the highest binding affinity (-5.7 Kcal/mol), and formed H-bonds with amino acid residues TYRB130, SERB135, TYRB150. Furthermore, biotin was found to interact most efficiently with NS5 RdRp with a binding energy of -150.624 kJ/mol, a binding affinity of -5.6 Kcal/mol, and formed H-bonds with the amino acid residues ASPA665 and ASPA540. In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies are needed to demonstrate anti-ZIKV safety and the efficacy of these FDA-approved drug candidates.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wahiba Ezzemani
- Virology Unit, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Santé (URAC34), Départment de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Ben Msik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Haya Altawalah
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait
- Virology Unit, Yacoub Behbehani Center, Sabah Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait
| | - Marc Windisch
- Applied Molecular Virology Laboratory, Discovery Biology Department, Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Ahd Ouladlahsen
- Faculté de médecine et de pharmacie, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
- Service des maladies Infectieuses, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Rachid Saile
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Santé (URAC34), Départment de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Ben Msik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Anass Kettani
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Santé (URAC34), Départment de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Ben Msik, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Sayeh Ezzikouri
- Virology Unit, Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco
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2
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Feng Y. Recent advances in the study of zika virus structure, drug targets, and inhibitors. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1418516. [PMID: 39011504 PMCID: PMC11246971 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1418516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Zika Virus (ZIKV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that can lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome or encephalitis in some individuals and hence presents a serious public health risk. Since the first outbreak of ZIKV in Brazil in 2015, no effective clinical inhibitors have been developed, making the development of effective ZIKV drugs an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. ZIKV belongs to the Flaviviridae family, and its structure includes three structural proteins, namely, capsular (C), premembrane (prM), and envelope (E) proteins, as well as seven nonstructural proteins, namely, NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5. To provide a reference for the development of future ZIKV drugs, this paper reviews the structure of the ZIKV based on recent literature reports, analyzes the potential therapeutic targets of various proteins, and proposes feasible drug design strategies. Additionally, this paper reviews and classifies the latest research progress on several protease inhibitors, such as E protein inhibitors, NS2B-NS3 inhibitors, and NS5 inhibitors, so that researchers can quickly understand the current status of development and the interconnections among these inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqi Feng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation and Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
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3
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Kumaree KK, Anthikapalli NVA, Prasansuklab A. In silico screening for potential inhibitors from the phytocompounds of Carica papaya against Zika virus NS5 protein. F1000Res 2024; 12:655. [PMID: 39132582 PMCID: PMC11310656 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.134956.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has emerged as a global health threat. The causal reasoning is that Zika infection is linked to the development of microcephaly in newborns and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. With no clinically approved antiviral treatment for ZIKV, the need for the development of potential inhibitors against the virus is essential. In this study, we aimed to screen phytochemicals from papaya ( Carica papaya L.) against NS5 protein domains of ZIKV. Methods Approximately 193 phytochemicals from an online database (IMPACT) were subjected to molecular docking using AutoDock Vina against the NS5-MTase protein domain (5WXB) and -RdRp domain (5U04). Results Our results showed that β-sitosterol, carpaine, violaxanthin, pseudocarpaine, Δ7-avenasterols, Rutin, and cis-β-carotene had the highest binding affinity to both protein domains, with β-sitosterol having the most favorable binding energy. Furthermore, ADMET analysis revealed that selected compounds had good pharmacokinetic properties and were nontoxic. Conclusions Our findings suggest that papaya-derived phytochemicals could be potential candidates for developing antiviral drugs against ZIKV. However, further experimental studies using cell lines and in vivo models are needed to validate their efficacy and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishore Krishna Kumaree
- College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Natural Products for Neuroprotection and Anti-Ageing Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Anchalee Prasansuklab
- College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Natural Products for Neuroprotection and Anti-Ageing Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
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Chen RY, Zhao T, Guo JJ, Zhu F, Zhang NN, Li XF, Liu HT, Wang F, Deng YQ, Qin CF. The infection kinetics and transmission potential of two Guaico Culex viruses in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Virol Sin 2024; 39:228-234. [PMID: 38461965 PMCID: PMC11074636 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Guaico Culex virus (GCXV) is a newly identified segmented Jingmenvirus from Culex spp. mosquitoes in Central and South America. The genome of GCXV is composed of four or five single-stranded positive RNA segments. However, the infection kinetics and transmission capability of GCXV in mosquitoes remain unknown. In this study, we used reverse genetics to rescue two GCXVs (4S and 5S) that contained four and five RNA segments, respectively, in C6/36 cells. Further in vitro characterization revealed that the two GCXVs exhibited comparable replication kinetics, protein expression and viral titers. Importantly, GCXV RNAs were detected in the bodies, salivary glands, midguts and ovaries of Culex quinquefasciatus at 4-10 days after oral infection. In addition, two GCXVs can colonize Cx. quinquefasciatus eggs, resulting in positive rates of 15%-35% for the second gonotrophic cycle. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that GCXVs with four or five RNA segments can be detected in Cx. quinquefasciatus eggs during the first and second gonotrophic cycles after oral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru-Yi Chen
- College of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China; State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Teng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Jing-Jing Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Feng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China; School of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, 650224, China
| | - Na-Na Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Hai-Tao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Fei Wang
- College of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
| | - Yong-Qiang Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Cheng-Feng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, AMMS, Beijing, 100071, China.
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Rabaan AA, AlShehail BM, Halwani MA, Alshengeti A, Najim MA, Garout M, Bajunaid HA, Alshamrani SA, Al Fares MA, Alissa M, Alwashmi ASS. Investigation of Zika virus methyl transferase inhibitors using steered molecular dynamics. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:1711-1724. [PMID: 37325855 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2224882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) spread is considered a major public health threat by the World Health Organization (WHO). There are no vaccines or drugs available to control the infection of the Zika virus, therefore a highly effective medicinal molecule is urgently required. In this study, a computationally intensive investigation was performed to identify a potent natural compound that could inhibit the ZIKV NS5 methyltransferase. This research approach is based on target-based drug identification principles where the native inhibitor SAH (S-adenosylhomocysteine) of ZIKV NS5 methyltransferase was selected as a reference. High-throughput virtual screening and tanimoto similarity coefficient were applied to the natural compound library for ranking the potential candidates. The top five compounds were selected for interaction analysis, MD simulation, total binding free energy through MM/GBSA, and steered MD simulation. Among these compounds, Adenosine 5'-monophosphate monohydrate, Tubercidin, and 5-Iodotubercidin showed stable binding to the protein compared to the native compound, SAH. These three compounds also showed less fluctuations in RMSF in contrast to native compound. Additionally, the same interacting residues observed in SAH also made strong interactions with these three compounds. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate monohydrate and 5-Iodotubercidin had greater total binding free energies than the reference ligand. Moreover, the dissociation resistance of all three compounds was equivalent to that of the reference ligand. This study suggested binding properties of three-hit compounds that could be used to develop drugs against Zika virus infections.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali A Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Bashayer M AlShehail
- Pharmacy Practice Department, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad A Halwani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amer Alshengeti
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustafa A Najim
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Garout
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huda A Bajunaid
- Makkah Specialized Laboratory, Fakeeh Care group, Hadda, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Alshamrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mona A Al Fares
- Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alissa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S S Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
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6
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Tsukamoto Y, Igarashi M, Kato H. Targeting cap1 RNA methyltransferases as an antiviral strategy. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:86-99. [PMID: 38091983 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Methylation is one of the critical modifications that regulates numerous biological processes. Guanine capping and methylation at the 7th position (m7G) have been shown to mature mRNA for increased RNA stability and translational efficiency. The m7G capped cap0 RNA remains immature and requires additional methylation at the first nucleotide (N1-2'-O-Me), designated as cap1, to achieve full maturation. This cap1 RNA with N1-2'-O-Me prevents its recognition by innate immune sensors as non-self. Viruses have also evolved various strategies to produce self-like capped RNAs with the N1-2'-O-Me that potentially evades the antiviral response and establishes an efficient replication. In this review, we focus on the importance of the presence of N1-2'-O-Me in viral RNAs and discuss the potential for drug development by targeting host and viral N1-2'-O-methyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Tsukamoto
- Institute of Cardiovascular Immunology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Manabu Igarashi
- Division of Global Epidemiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kato
- Institute of Cardiovascular Immunology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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7
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Wang L, Zhou R, Liu Y, Guo S, Yi D, Zhao J, Li Q, Zhang Y, Liang C, Wang J, Shan G, Cen S. A cell-based assay to discover inhibitors of Zika virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Virology 2024; 589:109939. [PMID: 37979208 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.109939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) belongs to Flaviviridae, the Flavivirus genus. Its infection causes congenital brain abnormalities and Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, there are no effective vaccines, no FDA-approved drugs to manage ZIKV infection. The non-structural protein NS5 of ZIKV has been recognized as a valuable target of antivirals because of its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and methyltransferase (MTase) activities essential for viral RNA synthesis. Here, we report a cell-based assay for discovering inhibitors of ZIKV NS5 and found that 5-Azacytidine potently inhibits ZIKV NS5, with EC50 of 4.9 μM. Furthermore, 5-Azacytidine suppresses ZIKV replication by inhibiting NS5-mediated viral RNA transcription. Therefore, we have developed a cell-based ZIKV NS5 assay which can be deployed to discover ZIKV NS5 inhibitors and demonstrated the potential of 5-Azacytidine for further development as a ZIKV NS5 inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidan Wang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yitong Liu
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Saisai Guo
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Dongrong Yi
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jianyuan Zhao
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Quanjie Li
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yongxin Zhang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Chen Liang
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Jing Wang
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Guangzhi Shan
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Shan Cen
- CAMS Key Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Research, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Tiantanxili, Beijing, 100050, China.
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Zhang B, Yu J, Zhu G, Huang Y, Zhang K, Xiao X, He W, Yuan J, Gao X. Dapoxetine, a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, Suppresses Zika Virus Infection In Vitro. Molecules 2023; 28:8142. [PMID: 38138628 PMCID: PMC10745718 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28248142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) belongs to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family, and is a pathogen posing a significant threat to human health. Currently, there is a lack of internationally approved antiviral drugs for the treatment of ZIKV infection, and symptomatic management remains the primary clinical approach. Consequently, the exploration of safe and effective anti-ZIKV drugs has emerged as a paramount imperative in ZIKV control efforts. In this study, we performed a screening of a compound library consisting of 1789 FDA-approved drugs to identify potential agents with anti-ZIKV activity. We have identified dapoxetine, an orally administered selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) commonly employed for the clinical management of premature ejaculation (PE), as a potential inhibitor of ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Consequently, we conducted surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis to validate the specific binding of dapoxetine to ZIKV RdRp, and further evaluated its inhibitory effect on ZIKV RdRp synthesis using the ZIKV Gluc reporter gene assay. Furthermore, we substantiated the efficacy of dapoxetine in suppressing intracellular replication of ZIKV, thereby demonstrating a concentration-dependent antiviral effect (EC50 values ranging from 4.20 μM to 12.6 μM) and negligible cytotoxicity (CC50 > 50 μM) across diverse cell lines. Moreover, cell fluorescence staining and Western blotting assays revealed that dapoxetine effectively reduced the expression of ZIKV proteins. Collectively, our findings suggest that dapoxetine exhibits anti-ZIKV effects by inhibiting ZIKV RdRp activity, positioning it as a potential candidate for clinical therapeutic intervention against ZIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingzhi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.Y.); (G.Z.); (X.X.)
| | - Jianchen Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.Y.); (G.Z.); (X.X.)
| | - Ge Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.Y.); (G.Z.); (X.X.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yun Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China;
| | - Kexin Zhang
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China;
| | - Xuhan Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.Y.); (G.Z.); (X.X.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Wenxuan He
- School of Life Sciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
| | - Jie Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.Y.); (G.Z.); (X.X.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiaoxia Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
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da Silva PG, Chaves EJF, Silva TMS, Rocha GB, Dantas WM, de Oliveira RN, Pena LJ. Antiviral Activity of Flavonoids from Geopropolis of the Brazilian Jandaira Bee against Zika and Dengue Viruses. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2494. [PMID: 37896254 PMCID: PMC10609720 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne viruses within the Flaviviridae family such as Zika (ZIKV) and dengue (DENV) are responsible for major outbreaks in tropical countries, and there are no specific treatments against them. Naringenin and 7-O-methyl naringenin are flavonoids that can be extracted from geopropolis, a natural material that the Brazilian Jandaira stingless bee (Melipona subnitida Ducke) produces to protect its nest. Here, these flavonoids were tested against ZIKV and DENV using Vero cells as a cellular model to perform a cytotoxicity assay and to define the effective concentrations of TCID50 as the readout method. The results demonstrated the antiviral activity of the compounds against both viruses upon the treatment of infected cells. The tested flavonoids had antiviral activity comparable with 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (6-MMPr), used here as a positive control. In addition, to identify the possible action mechanism of the antiviral candidates, we carried out a docking analysis followed by a molecular dynamics simulation to elucidate naringenin and 7-O-methyl naringenin binding sites to each virus. Altogether, these results demonstrate that both flavonoids have potent antiviral effects against both viruses and warrant further in vivo trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poliana Gomes da Silva
- Laboratory of Virology and Experimental Therapy (Lavite), Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50670-420, Pernambuco, Brazil; (P.G.d.S.); (E.J.F.C.); (W.M.D.)
| | - Elton José Ferreira Chaves
- Laboratory of Virology and Experimental Therapy (Lavite), Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50670-420, Pernambuco, Brazil; (P.G.d.S.); (E.J.F.C.); (W.M.D.)
| | - Tania Maria Sarmento Silva
- Phytochemical Bioprospecting Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife 52171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil;
| | - Gerd Bruno Rocha
- Laboratory of Computational Quantum Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58050-085, Paraiba, Brazil;
| | - Willyenne Marília Dantas
- Laboratory of Virology and Experimental Therapy (Lavite), Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50670-420, Pernambuco, Brazil; (P.G.d.S.); (E.J.F.C.); (W.M.D.)
- Bioactive Compounds Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 52171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil;
| | - Ronaldo Nascimento de Oliveira
- Bioactive Compounds Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife 52171-900, Pernambuco, Brazil;
| | - Lindomar José Pena
- Laboratory of Virology and Experimental Therapy (Lavite), Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife 50670-420, Pernambuco, Brazil; (P.G.d.S.); (E.J.F.C.); (W.M.D.)
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10
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Chen H, Lin S, Yang F, Chen Z, Guo L, Yang J, Lin X, Wang L, Duan Y, Wen A, Zhang X, Dai Y, Yin K, Yuan X, Yu C, He Y, He B, Cao Y, Dong H, Li J, Zhao Q, Liu Q, Lu G. Structural and functional basis of low-affinity SAM/SAH-binding in the conserved MTase of the multi-segmented Alongshan virus distantly related to canonical unsegmented flaviviruses. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011694. [PMID: 37831643 PMCID: PMC10575543 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alongshan virus (ALSV), a newly discovered member of unclassified Flaviviridae family, is able to infect humans. ALSV has a multi-segmented genome organization and is evolutionarily distant from canonical mono-segmented flaviviruses. The virus-encoded methyltransferase (MTase) plays an important role in viral replication. Here we show that ALSV MTase readily binds S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) but exhibits significantly lower affinities than canonical flaviviral MTases. Structures of ALSV MTase in the free and SAM/SAH-bound forms reveal that the viral enzyme possesses a unique loop-element lining side-wall of the SAM/SAH-binding pocket. While the equivalent loop in flaviviral MTases half-covers SAM/SAH, contributing multiple hydrogen-bond interactions; the pocket-lining loop of ALSV MTase is of short-length and high-flexibility, devoid of any physical contacts with SAM/SAH. Subsequent mutagenesis data further corroborate such structural difference affecting SAM/SAH-binding. Finally, we also report the structure of ALSV MTase bound with sinefungin, an SAM-analogue MTase inhibitor. These data have delineated the basis for the low-affinity interaction between ALSV MTase and SAM/SAH and should inform on antiviral drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Department of Wound Repair and Rehabilitation Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Sheng Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Fanli Yang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zimin Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liyan Guo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xi Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingling Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanping Duan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ao Wen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xindan Zhang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yushan Dai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Keqing Yin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chongzhang Yu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yarong He
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Disaster Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Haohao Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jian Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Quan Liu
- Center of Infectious diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Zoonotic Diseases, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Guangwen Lu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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11
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Mensah IK, Norvil AB, He M, Lendy E, Hjortland N, Tan H, Pomerantz RT, Mesecar A, Gowher H. Development of a sensitive microplate assay for characterizing RNA methyltransferase activity: Implications for epitranscriptomics and drug development. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105257. [PMID: 37716702 PMCID: PMC10582764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA methylation is a ubiquitous post-transcriptional modification found in diverse RNA classes and is a critical regulator of gene expression. In this study, we used Zika virus RNA methyltransferase (MTase) to develop a highly sensitive microplate assay that uses a biotinylated RNA substrate and radiolabeled AdoMet coenzyme. The assay is fast, highly reproducible, exhibits linear progress-curve kinetics under multiple turnover conditions, has high sensitivity in competitive inhibition assays, and significantly lower background levels compared with the currently used method. Using our newly developed microplate assay, we observed no significant difference in the catalytic constants of the full-length nonstructural protein 5 enzyme and the truncated MTase domain. These data suggest that, unlike the Zika virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity, the MTase activity is unaffected by RNA-dependent RNA polymerase-MTase interdomain interaction. Given its quantitative nature and accuracy, this method can be used to characterize various RNA MTases, and, therefore, significantly contribute to the field of epitranscriptomics and drug development against infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah K Mensah
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Allison B Norvil
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Ming He
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Emma Lendy
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Nicole Hjortland
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Hern Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Richard T Pomerantz
- Department Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew Mesecar
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Humaira Gowher
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
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12
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Durgam L, Pagag J, Indra Neela Y, Guruprasad L. Mutational analyses, pharmacophore-based inhibitor design and in silico validation for Zika virus NS3-helicase. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-19. [PMID: 37712848 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2252929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus is responsible for causing Zika infections and was declared as a public health emergency of international concern in February 2016. The Zika virus NS3-helicase is a viable drug target for the design of inhibitors due to its essential role in the replication of viral genome. The viral RNA is unwound by the NS3-helicase in order to enable the reproduction of viral genome by the NS5 protein. Zika virus infections in humans are being reported for the last 15 years. We have therefore carried out amino acid mutational analyses of NS3-helicase. NS3-helicase has two crucial binding sites: the ATP and RNA binding sites. The cofactor-ATP based pharmacophore was generated for virtual screening of ZINC database using Pharmit server, that is followed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations of potential hits as probable Zika virus NS3-helicase inhibitors at the cofactor binding site. The drug-like properties of the molecules were analysed and, DFT calculations were performed on the five best molecules to reveal their stability in solvent phase compared to gas phase, the HOMO and LUMO and electrostatic potential maps to analyze the electronic and geometric characteristics. These are significant findings towards the discovery of new inhibitors of Zika virus NS3-helicase, a promising drug target to treat the Zika virus infection.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxman Durgam
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Jishu Pagag
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Y Indra Neela
- School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
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13
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Zhu Y, Yu J, Chen T, Liu W, Huang Y, Li J, Zhang B, Zhu G, He Z, Long Y, Yuan J. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of new anthraquinone derivatives as anti-ZIKV agents. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115620. [PMID: 37421888 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The major severe complications linked to Zika virus (ZIKV) cause the global public health problems, including microcephaly and other congenital abnormalities in newborns, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, meningoencephalitis, multi-organ failure in adults. However, neither approved vaccines nor drugs are available for ZIKV. In this study, we describe the design, synthesis and the anti-ZIKV activities of a series of anthraquinone analogs. Most of the newly synthesized compounds demonstrated moderate to excellent potency against ZIKV. Among all, compound 22, showed the most potent anti-ZIKV activity (EC50 value from 1.33 μM to 5.72 μM) with low cytotoxicity (CC50>50 μM) in multiple cellular model. Importantly, 22 significantly improved the survival of ZIKV-infected mice (Ifnar1-/-), alleviated ZIKV-associated pathological damages and suppressed the excessive inflammatory response and pyroptosis induced by ZIKV in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the molecular docking simulation analysis and the surface plasmon resonance results demonstrated the direct binding between 22 and ZIKV RdRp, and the mechanistic study revealed that 22 suppressed viral RNA synthesis by ZIKV NS5 in cells. Taken together, this study highlights that 22 may be a novel anti-ZIKV drug candidate and provides treatment options for ZIKV-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Zhu
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jianchen Yu
- School of Chemistry, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biomedicine, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Tao Chen
- School of Chemistry, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biomedicine, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Wenbin Liu
- School of Chemistry, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biomedicine, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Yun Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Junsen Li
- School of Chemistry, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biomedicine, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Bingzhi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Ge Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Zhenjian He
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Yuhua Long
- School of Chemistry, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biomedicine, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Jie Yuan
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China; Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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14
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Shukla R, Chandra A, Kumar A, Kandpal P, Avashthi H, Goel VK, Qamar I, Singh N, Kelvin DJ, Singh TR. Repurposing of drugs against methyltransferase as potential Zika virus therapies. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7870. [PMID: 37188743 PMCID: PMC10184974 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33341-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the outbreak of infectious disease caused by Zika Virus (ZIKV) has posed a major threat to global public health, calling for the development of therapeutics to treat ZIKV disease. Several possible druggable targets involved in virus replication have been identified. In search of additional potential inhibitors, we screened 2895 FDA-approved compounds using Non-Structural Protein 5 (NS5) as a target utilizing virtual screening of in-silco methods. The top 28 compounds with the threshold of binding energy -7.2 kcal/mol value were selected and were cross-docked on the three-dimensional structure of NS5 using AutoDock Tools. Of the 2895 compounds screened, five compounds (Ceforanide, Squanavir, Amcinonide, Cefpiramide, and Olmesartan_Medoxomil) ranked highest based on filtering of having the least negative interactions with the NS5 and were selected for Molecular Dynamic Simulations (MDS) studies. Various parameters such as RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, PCA and binding free energy were calculated to validate the binding of compounds to the target, ZIKV-NS5. The binding free energy was found to be -114.53, -182.01, -168.19, -91.16, -122.56, and -150.65 kJ mol-1 for NS5-SFG, NS5-Ceforanide, NS5-Squanavir, NS5-Amcinonide, NS5-Cefpiramide, and NS5-Ol_Me complexes respectively. The binding energy calculations suggested Cefpiramide and Olmesartan_Medoxomil (Ol_Me) as the most stable compounds for binding to NS5, indicating a strong rationale for their use as lead compounds for development of ZIKV inhibitors. As these drugs have been evaluated on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics parameters only, in vitro and in vivo testing and their impact on Zika viral cell culture may suggest their clinical trials on ZIKV patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Shukla
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology (JUIT), Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India
- Centre for Excellence in Healthcare Technologies and Informatics (CEHTI), Jaypee University of Information Technology (JUIT), Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India
| | - Anshuman Chandra
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201312, India
- School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Anuj Kumar
- Laboratory of Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Himanshu Avashthi
- Division of Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Goel
- School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Imteyaz Qamar
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201312, India
| | - Nagendra Singh
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201312, India.
| | - David J Kelvin
- Laboratory of Immunity, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Center, Canadian Centre for Vaccinology CCfV, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
| | - Tiratha Raj Singh
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology (JUIT), Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India.
- Centre for Excellence in Healthcare Technologies and Informatics (CEHTI), Jaypee University of Information Technology (JUIT), Waknaghat, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173234, India.
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15
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van den Elsen K, Chew BLA, Ho JS, Luo D. Flavivirus nonstructural proteins and replication complexes as antiviral drug targets. Curr Opin Virol 2023; 59:101305. [PMID: 36870091 PMCID: PMC10023477 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2023.101305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Many flaviviruses are well-known pathogens, such as dengue, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, and yellow fever viruses. Among them, dengue viruses cause global epidemics and threaten billions of people. Effective vaccines and antivirals are in desperate need. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in understanding viral nonstructural (NS) proteins as antiviral drug targets. We briefly summarize the experimental structures and predicted models of flaviviral NS proteins and their functions. We highlight a few well-characterized inhibitors targeting these NS proteins and provide an update about the latest development. NS4B emerges as one of the most promising drug targets as novel inhibitors targeting NS4B and its interaction network are entering clinical studies. Studies aiming to elucidate the architecture and molecular basis of viral replication will offer new opportunities for novel antiviral discovery. Direct-acting agents against dengue and other pathogenic flaviviruses may be available very soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaïn van den Elsen
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Bing Liang Alvin Chew
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Jun Sheng Ho
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| | - Dahai Luo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 03-07, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, EMB 06-01, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore.
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16
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Zhou GF, Li F, Xue JX, Qian W, Gu XR, Zheng CB, Li C, Yang LM, Xiong SD, Zhou GC, Zheng YT. Antiviral effects of the fused tricyclic derivatives of indoline and imidazolidinone on ZIKV infection and RdRp activities of ZIKV and DENV. Virus Res 2023; 326:199062. [PMID: 36746341 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence and ravages of Zika virus (ZIKV) seriously endanger human health, especially causing significant neurological defects in both neonates as pediatric microcephaly and adults as Guillain-Barré syndrome. In this work, we studied anti-ZIKV effects of the fused tricyclic derivatives of indoline and imidazolidinone and discovered that some of them are valuable leads for drug discovery of anti-ZIKV agents. The current results show that certain compounds are broad-spectrum inhibitors of ZIKV- and dengue virus (DENV)-infection while distinctive compounds are selective ZIKV inhibitors or selective DENV inhibitors. Compounds of 12, 17 and 28 are more active against Asian ZIKV SZ-VIV01 strain than African ZIKV MR766 strain. It is valued that silylation makes six TBS compounds of 4-nitrophenyl hydrazine series and phenyl hydrazine series more active against ZIKV infection than their phenols. Time-of-addition and withdrawal studies indicate that compound 12 majorly acts on post-infection of RNA synthesis stage of ZIKV life cycle. Moreover, compounds of 12, 17 and 18 are anti-ZIKV agents with the inhibitory activities to ZIKV NS5 RdRp while 12 doesn't inhibit DENV infection even though it is a DENV RdRp inhibitor, 17 is an active agent against DENV infection but is only a weak DENV NS5 RdRp inhibitor, and 28 is inactive against DENV infection and not a DENV NS5 RdRp inhibitor. As a result, a compound's antiviral difference between ZIKV and DENV is not always related to anti-RdRp difference between ZIKV RdRp and DENV RdRp, and structural features of a compound play important roles in executing antiviral and anti-RdRp functions. Further discovery of highly potent broad-spectrum or selective agents against infection by ZIKV and DENV will be facilitated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Feng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China; College of Pharmacy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Feng Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211816, China
| | - Jian-Xia Xue
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China; Medical College, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Weiyi Qian
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211816, China
| | - Xue-Rong Gu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Chang-Bo Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan 671000, China
| | - Liu-Meng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Si-Dong Xiong
- College of Pharmacy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China.
| | - Guo-Chun Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211816, China.
| | - Yong-Tang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China.
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17
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Kumar G, Singh AK, Agarwal D. Structural and functional characterization of RNA dependent RNA polymerase of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MnRdRp). J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:12825-12837. [PMID: 36757137 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2175384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a highly valued farmed freshwater species and its production has been affected globally by white tail disease caused by M. rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV). MrNV is a single stranded positive sense RNA virus encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) for genome replication. Due to its essentiality for pathogenesis, it is an important drug target. The domain prediction of the complete sequence revealed the presence of two enzymatic regions namely methyl transferase and RdRp separated by transmembrane region. The predicted three-dimensional (3D) structure of MnRdRp using AlphaFold 2 shows that the structure is composed of three major sub-domains common for other polymerases namely fingers, palm and thumb. Structural similarity search revealed its similarity with other flaviviridea members especially with BVDV RdRp (BvdvRdRp). The structure of fingers and palm sub-domains is more conserved than the thumb sub-domain. A small α-helix named 'priming helix' having conserve Tyr was identified at position 829-833 with a potential role in de novo initiation. Analysis of electrostatic potential revealed that nucleotide and template channels are electropositive. Metal binding residues were identified as Asp599, Asp704 and Asp705. The α and β phosphates of incoming nucleotide interact with two Mn2+, Arg455 and Arg537. For recognition of 2'-OH of incoming rNTP, Asp604, Ser661 and Asn670 were identified which can form H-bond network with 2'-OH group. Docking study revealed that Dasabuvir can potentially inhibit MnRdRp. The study concluded that the overall structure and function of MnRdRp are similar to Flaviviridae polymerases and their inhibitors can work against this enzyme.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulshan Kumar
- College of Fisheries Science Gunla, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
| | - A K Singh
- College of Fisheries Science Gunla, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
| | - Deepak Agarwal
- TNJFU, Institute of Fisheries Post Graduate Studies, OMR, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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18
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Murali A, Kumar S, Akshaya S, Singh SK. Drug repurposing toward the inhibition of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of various flaviviruses through computational study. J Cell Biochem 2023; 124:127-145. [PMID: 36502494 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Numerous pathogens affecting human is present in the flavivirus family namely west nile, dengue, yellow fever, and zika which involves in development of global burden and distressing the environment economically. Till date, no approved drugs are available for targeting these viruses. The threat which urged the identification of small molecules for the inhibition of these viruses is the spreading of serious viral diseases. The recent outbreak of zika and dengue infections postured a solemn risk to worldwide public well-being. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is the supreme adaptable enzymes of all the RNA viruses which is responsible for the replication and transcription of genome among the structural and nonstructural proteins of flaviviruses. It is understood that the RdRp of the flaviviruses are similar stating that the japanese encephalitis and west nile shares 70% identity with zika whereas the dengue serotype 2 and 3 shares the identity of 76% and 81%, respectively. In this study, we investigated the binding site of four flaviviral RdRp and provided insights into various interaction of the molecules using the computational approach. Our study helps in recognizing the potent compounds that could inhibit the viral protein as a common inhibitor. Additionally, with the conformational stability analysis, we proposed the possible mechanism of inhibition of the identified common small molecule toward RdRp of flavivirus. Finally, this study could be an initiative for the identification of common inhibitors and can be explored further for understanding the mechanism of action through in vitro studies for the study on efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarthy Murali
- Computer Aided Drug Designing and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Computer Aided Drug Designing and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Sanjeev K Singh
- Computer Aided Drug Designing and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
- Department of Data Sciences, Centre of Biomedical Research, Sanjay Gandhi Post Institute of Medical Sciences Campus, Lucknow, India
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19
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Pyasi S, Jonniya NA, Sk MF, Nayak D, Kar P. Finding potential inhibitors against RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV): an in- silico study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:10403-10421. [PMID: 34238122 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1946714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) is an enzootic agent that affects millions of bovines and causes major economic losses. Though the virus is seasonally reported with a very high morbidity rate (80-100%) from African, Australian, and Asiatic continents, it remains a neglected pathogen in many of its endemic areas, with no proper therapeutic drugs or vaccines presently available for treatment. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) catalyzes the viral RNA synthesis and is an appropriate candidate for antiviral drug developments. We utilized integrated computational tools to build the 3D model of BEFV-RdRp and then predicted its probable active binding sites. The virtual screening and optimization against these active sites, using several small-molecule inhibitors from a different category of Life Chemical database and FDA-approved drugs from the ZINC database, was performed. We found nine molecules that have docking scores varying between -6.84 to -10.43 kcal/mol. Furthermore, these complexes were analyzed for their conformational dynamics and thermodynamic stability using molecular dynamics simulations in conjunction with the molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) scheme. The binding free energy calculations depict that the electrostatic interactions play a dominant role in the RdRp-inhibitor binding. The hot spot residues, such as Arg565, Asp631, Glu633, Asp740, and Glu707, were found to control the RdRp-inhibitor interaction. The ADMET analysis strongly suggests favorable pharmacokinetics of these compounds that may prove useful for treating the BEFV ailment. Overall, we anticipate that these findings would help explore and develop a wide range of anti-BEFV therapy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Pyasi
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Nisha Amarnath Jonniya
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Md Fulbabu Sk
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Debasis Nayak
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Parimal Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
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20
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Antiviral activity of ouabain against a Brazilian Zika virus strain. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12598. [PMID: 35871157 PMCID: PMC9308787 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14243-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus associated with neurological disorders. Currently, no specific vaccines or antivirals are available to treat the ZIKV infection. Ouabain, a cardiotonic steroid known as Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor, has been previously described as an immunomodulatory substance by our group. Here, we evaluated for the first time the antiviral activity of this promising substance against a Brazilian ZIKV strain. Vero cells were treated with different concentrations of ouabain before and after the infection with ZIKV. The antiviral effect was evaluated by the TCID50 method and RT-qPCR. Ouabain presented a dose-dependent inhibitory effect against ZIKV, mainly when added post infection. The reduction of infectious virus was accompanied by a decrease in ZIKV RNA levels, suggesting that the mechanism of ZIKV inhibition by ouabain occurred at the replication step. In addition, our in silico data demonstrated a conformational stability and favorable binding free energy of ouabain in the biding sites of the NS5-RdRp and NS3-helicase proteins, which could be related to its mechanism of action. Taken together, these data demonstrate the antiviral activity of ouabain against a Brazilian ZIKV strain and evidence the potential of cardiotonic steroids as promising antiviral agents.
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21
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Ferrero DS, Albentosa-González L, Mas A, Verdaguer N. Structure and function of the NS5 methyltransferase domain from Usutu virus. Antiviral Res 2022; 208:105460. [DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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22
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Natural Compounds as Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors of Zika Virus Polymerase through Integration of In Silico and In Vitro Approaches. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15121493. [PMID: 36558945 PMCID: PMC9788182 DOI: 10.3390/ph15121493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the past epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) resulted in severe neurological consequences for infected infants and adults, there are still no approved drugs to treat ZIKV infection. In this study, we applied computational approaches to screen an in-house database of 77 natural and semi-synthetic compounds against ZIKV NS5 RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (NS5 RdRp), an essential protein for viral RNA elongation during the replication process. For this purpose, we integrated computational approaches such as binding-site conservation, chemical space analysis and molecular docking. As a result, we prioritized nine virtual hits for experimental evaluation. Enzymatic assays confirmed that pedalitin and quercetin inhibited ZIKV NS5 RdRp with IC50 values of 4.1 and 0.5 µM, respectively. Moreover, pedalitin also displayed antiviral activity on ZIKV infection with an EC50 of 19.28 µM cell-based assays, with low toxicity in Vero cells (CC50 = 83.66 µM) and selectivity index of 4.34. These results demonstrate the potential of the natural compounds pedalitin and quercetin as candidates for structural optimization studies towards the discovery of new anti-ZIKV drug candidates.
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23
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Shannon A, Sama B, Gauffre P, Guez T, Debart F, Vasseur JJ, Decroly E, Canard B, Ferron F. A second type of N7-guanine RNA cap methyltransferase in an unusual locus of a large RNA virus genome. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11186-11198. [PMID: 36265859 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The order Nidovirales is a diverse group of (+)RNA viruses, with a common genome organization and conserved set of replicative and editing enzymes. In particular, RNA methyltransferases play a central role in mRNA stability and immune escape. However, their presence and distribution in different Nidovirales families is not homogeneous. In Coronaviridae, the best characterized family, two distinct methytransferases perform methylation of the N7-guanine and 2'-OH of the RNA-cap to generate a cap-1 structure (m7GpppNm). The genes of both of these enzymes are located in the ORF1b genomic region. While 2'-O-MTases can be identified for most other families based on conservation of both sequence motifs and genetic loci, identification of the N7-guanine methyltransferase has proved more challenging. Recently, we identified a putative N7-MTase domain in the ORF1a region (N7-MT-1a) of certain members of the large genome Tobaniviridae family. Here, we demonstrate that this domain indeed harbors N7-specific methyltransferase activity. We present its structure as the first N7-specific Rossmann-fold (RF) MTase identified for (+)RNA viruses, making it remarkably different from that of the known Coronaviridae ORF1b N7-MTase gene. We discuss the evolutionary implications of such an appearance in this unexpected location in the genome, which introduces a split-off in the classification of Tobaniviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh Shannon
- Aix-Marseille Université and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Bhawna Sama
- Aix-Marseille Université and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre Gauffre
- Aix-Marseille Université and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Théo Guez
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Françoise Debart
- IBMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Etienne Decroly
- Aix-Marseille Université and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Bruno Canard
- Aix-Marseille Université and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - François Ferron
- Aix-Marseille Université and CNRS, Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
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24
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Zhou GF, Xie CQ, Xue JX, Wang JB, Yang YZ, Zheng CB, Luo RH, Yang RH, Chen W, Yang LM, Wang YP, Zhang HB, He YP, Zheng YT. Identification of 6ω-cyclohexyl-2-(phenylamino carbonylmethylthio)pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones targeting the ZIKV NS5 RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Front Chem 2022; 10:1010547. [PMID: 36311427 PMCID: PMC9605737 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1010547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is a global health concern because of its association with severe neurological disorders such as neonatal microcephaly and adult Guillain-Barre syndrome. Although many efforts have been made to combat ZIKV infection, there is currently no approved vaccines or antiviral drugs available and there is an urgent need to develop effective anti-ZIKV agents. In this study, 26 acetylarylamine-S-DACOs derivatives were prepared, and eight of them were found to have inhibitory activity against Zika virus. Among these substances, 2-[(4-cyclohexyl-5-ethyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrimidin-2-yl)thio]-N-(3,5-difluorophenyl)acetamide (4w) with the best anti-ZIKV activity was selected for in-depth study of antiviral activity and mechanism of action. Here, we discovered 4w targeted on the ZIKV NS5 RNA -dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which exhibited good in vitro antiviral activity without cell species specificity, both at the protein level and at the RNA level can significantly inhibit ZIKV replication. Preliminary molecular docking studies showed that 4w preferentially binds to the palm region of NS5A RdRp through hydrogen bonding with residues such as LYS468, PHE466, GLU465, and GLY467. ZIKV NS5 RdRp enzyme activity experiment showed that 4w could directly inhibit ZIKV RdRp activity with EC50 = 11.38 ± 0.51 μM. In antiviral activity studies, 4w was found to inhibit ZIKV RNA replication with EC50 = 6.87 ± 1.21 μM. ZIKV-induced plaque formation was inhibited with EC50 = 7.65 ± 0.31 μM. In conclusion, our study disclosed that acetylarylamine-S-DACOs is a new active scaffolds against ZIKV, among which compound 4w was proved to be a potent novel anti-ZIKV compound target ZIKV RdRp protein. These promising results provide a future prospective for the development of ZIKV RdRp inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Feng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- College of Pharmacy, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Cong-Qiang Xie
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Jian-Xia Xue
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Medical College, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jing-Bo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Yu-Zhuo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Chang-Bo Zheng
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Rong-Hua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ren-Hua Yang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Wen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Liu-Meng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yue-Ping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Hong-Bin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Hong-Bin Zhang, ; Yan-Ping He, ; Yong-Tang Zheng,
| | - Yan-Ping He
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Provincial Center for Research and Development of Natural Products, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Hong-Bin Zhang, ; Yan-Ping He, ; Yong-Tang Zheng,
| | - Yong-Tang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province/Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- *Correspondence: Hong-Bin Zhang, ; Yan-Ping He, ; Yong-Tang Zheng,
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25
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Kumar A, Kumar D, Jose J, Giri R, Mysorekar IU. Drugs to limit Zika virus infection and implication for maternal-fetal health. FRONTIERS IN VIROLOGY 2022; 2. [PMID: 37064602 PMCID: PMC10104533 DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2022.928599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Although the placenta has robust defense mechanisms that protect the fetus from a viral infection, some viruses can manipulate or evade these mechanisms and disrupt physiology or cross the placental barrier. It is well established that the Zika virus is capable of vertical transmission from mother to fetus and can cause malformation of the fetal central nervous system (i.e., microcephaly), as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. This review seeks to gather and assess the contributions of translational research associated with Zika virus infection, including maternal-fetal vertical transmission of the virus. Nearly 200 inhibitors that have been evaluated in vivo and/or in vitro for their therapeutic properties against the Zika virus are summarized in this review. We also review the status of current vaccine candidates. Our main objective is to provide clinically relevant information that can guide future research directions and strategies for optimized treatment and preventive care of infections caused by Zika virus or similar pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO-Kamand, Mandi, India
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Joyce Jose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, State College, United States
| | - Rajanish Giri
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO-Kamand, Mandi, India
| | - Indira U. Mysorekar
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- CORRESPONDENCE Indira U. Mysorekar,
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26
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Abstract
The positive-sense flavivirus RNA genome bears a cap 1 structure essential for RNA stability and viral protein translation, and the formation of cap 1 requires the virally encoded nonstructural protein NS5 harboring guanylyltransferase (GTase), cap guanine N7 methyltransferase (N7 MTase), and 5'-nucleotide ribose 2'-O MTase activities in its single-domain MTase module. Despite numerous MTase-containing structures reported, the structural evidence for a critical GMP-enzyme intermediate formation and RNA repositioning when transitioning among different reactions is missing. Here, we report 10 high-resolution MTase crystal structures of Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus (OHFV), a representative high-consequence tick-borne flavivirus, capturing previously unidentified GMP-arginine adduct structures and a rarely observed capped RNA conformation. These structures help us thread capping events in the canonical model with a structure-based hypothesis involving the flipping of the 5' nucleotide, while the observation of an m7GMP-arginine adduct is compatible with an alternate capping model that decouples the N7 and 2'-O methylation steps. IMPORTANCE The methyltransferase (MTase) domain of flavivirus NS5 is unique in harboring guanylyltransferase (GTase), N7 MTase, and 2'-O MTase activities, playing a central role in viral RNA capping. However, the detailed mechanisms of the multistep capping process remain elusive. Here, we report 10 crystal structures of a flavivirus MTase to help understand the guanylyl transfer from GTP to the GTase itself and the transition between guanylyl transfer and methylation steps. In particular, a previously unobserved GMP-arginine covalent intermediate was captured multiple times in MTase crystal soaking trials with GTP present in the soaking solution, supporting its role in bridging the guanylyl transfer from GTP to the GTase and subsequent transfer to the 5'-diphosphate RNA.
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27
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Repurposing of the antihistamine mebhydrolin napadisylate for treatment of Zika virus infection. Bioorg Chem 2022; 128:106024. [PMID: 35901544 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection can lead to severe neurological disorders and fetal defects, which has become a public health problem worldwide. However, effective clinical treatment for ZIKV infection was still arduous. Antihistamines are attractive candidates for drug repurposing due to their low price and widespread availability. Here we screened FDA-approved antihistamine drugs to obtain anti-ZIKV candidate compounds and identified mebhydrolin napadisylate (MHL) that exhibits the potent inhibition of ZIKV infection in various cell lines in a histamine H1 receptor-independent manner. Mechanistic studies suggest that MHL acts as a ZIKV NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor, supported by a structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis showing the correlation between the inhibitory effect upon viral RNA synthesis and ZIKV infectivity. Furthermore, MHL was shown to bind ZIKV NS5 RdRp in vitro and predicted to interact with key residues at the active site of ZIKV NS5 RdRp by molecular docking analysis. Our data together suggest that MHL suppresses ZIKV infection through the inhibition of ZIKV NS5 RdRp activity. This study highlights that MHL might be a promising clinical anti-ZIKV therapeutic.
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28
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Fischer TR, Meidner L, Schwickert M, Weber M, Zimmermann RA, Kersten C, Schirmeister T, Helm M. Chemical biology and medicinal chemistry of RNA methyltransferases. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4216-4245. [PMID: 35412633 PMCID: PMC9071492 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA methyltransferases (MTases) are ubiquitous enzymes whose hitherto low profile in medicinal chemistry, contrasts with the surging interest in RNA methylation, the arguably most important aspect of the new field of epitranscriptomics. As MTases become validated as drug targets in all major fields of biomedicine, the development of small molecule compounds as tools and inhibitors is picking up considerable momentum, in academia as well as in biotech. Here we discuss the development of small molecules for two related aspects of chemical biology. Firstly, derivates of the ubiquitous cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) are being developed as bioconjugation tools for targeted transfer of functional groups and labels to increasingly visible targets. Secondly, SAM-derived compounds are being investigated for their ability to act as inhibitors of RNA MTases. Drug development is moving from derivatives of cosubstrates towards higher generation compounds that may address allosteric sites in addition to the catalytic centre. Progress in assay development and screening techniques from medicinal chemistry have led to recent breakthroughs, e.g. in addressing human enzymes targeted for their role in cancer. Spurred by the current pandemic, new inhibitors against coronaviral MTases have emerged at a spectacular rate, including a repurposed drug which is now in clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim R Fischer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Laurenz Meidner
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Marvin Schwickert
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Marlies Weber
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Robert A Zimmermann
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Kersten
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Mark Helm
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
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29
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Chalcones from Angelica keiskei (ashitaba) inhibit key Zika virus replication proteins. Bioorg Chem 2022; 120:105649. [PMID: 35124513 PMCID: PMC9187613 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a dangerous human pathogen and no antiviral drugs have been approved to date. The chalcones are a group of small molecules that are found in a number of different plants, including Angelica keiskei Koidzumi, also known as ashitaba. To examine chalcone anti-ZIKV activity, three chalcones, 4-hydroxyderricin (4HD), xanthoangelol (XA), and xanthoangelol-E (XA-E), were purified from a methanol-ethyl acetate extract from A. keiskei. Molecular and ensemble docking predicted that these chalcones would establish multiple interactions with residues in the catalytic and allosteric sites of ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease, and in the allosteric site of the NS5 RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp). Machine learning models also predicted 4HD, XA and XA-E as potential anti-ZIKV inhibitors. Enzymatic and kinetic assays confirmed chalcone inhibition of the ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease allosteric site with IC50s from 18 to 50 µM. Activity assays also revealed that XA, but not 4HD or XA-E, inhibited the allosteric site of the RdRp, with an IC50 of 6.9 µM. Finally, we tested these chalcones for their anti-viral activity in vitro with Vero cells. 4HD and XA-E displayed anti-ZIKV activity with EC50 values of 6.6 and 22.0 µM, respectively, while XA displayed relatively weak anti-ZIKV activity with whole cells. With their simple structures and relative ease of modification, the chalcones represent attractive candidates for hit-to-lead optimization in the search of new anti-ZIKV therapeutics.
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30
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Differential detection of zika virus based on PCR. J Virol Methods 2022; 301:114459. [PMID: 35007627 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2022.114459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Tropical countries are highly prone to infectious diseases such as the one caused by zika virus. Infection by zika is clinically and epidemiologically highly relevant. For example, when women are infected by zika during the first trimester of pregnancy, the child incurs a high risk of microcephaly and acute neurological syndromes. In adults, the virus is associated with the Guillain-Barré syndrome and other disorders. The worldwide emergency caused by zika in 2013/14 demonstrated the need for rapid and accurate diagnostic tools for the virus. Current diagnostic methods include virus isolation, serological tests, and molecular assays. However, virus isolation requires labor-intensive and time-consuming cell culture; serological detection suffers from cross-reactivity caused by previous exposure to homologous arboviruses that cause symptoms like those caused by zika, while molecular tools commonly are not designed for differential zika detection. This work reports on developing a specific molecular detection method based on phylogenetically conserved primers designed for the specific diagnosis of the zika virus. The zika primers were systematically selected through a rigorous bioinformatic analysis and demonstrated the capability to be highly specific. We tested our primers on synthetic DNA, cell cultures and samples from patients infected with zika, dengue and chikungunya and found that they detected zika with specificity high enough for differential virus diagnosis.
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Yang X, Gao GF, Liu WJ. Powassan virus: A tick borne flavivirus infecting humans. BIOSAFETY AND HEALTH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bsheal.2021.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Fernandes PO, Chagas MA, Rocha WR, Moraes AH. Non-structural protein 5 (NS5) as a target for antiviral development against established and emergent flaviviruses. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 50:30-39. [PMID: 34340199 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are among the most critical pathogens in tropical regions and cause a growing number of severe diseases in developing countries. The development of antiviral therapeutics is crucial for managing flavivirus outbreaks. Among the ten proteins encoded in the flavivirus RNA, non-structural protein 5, NS5, is a promising drug target. NS5 plays a fundamental role in flavivirus replication, viral RNA methylation, RNA polymerization, and host immune system evasion. Most of the NS5 inhibitor candidates target NS5 active sites. However, the similarity of NS5 activity sites with human enzymes can cause side effects. Identifying new allosteric sites in NS5 can contribute enormously to antiviral development. The NS5 structural characterization enabled exploring new regions, such as the residues involved in MTase-RdRp interaction, NS5 oligomerization, and NS5 interaction with other viral and host-cell proteins. Targeting NS5 critical interactions might lead to new compounds and overcomes the toxicity of current NS5-inhibitor candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipe O Fernandes
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A Chagas
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Willian R Rocha
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Adolfo H Moraes
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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Insights on Dengue and Zika NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 224:113698. [PMID: 34274831 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Over recent years, many outbreaks caused by (re)emerging RNA viruses have been reported worldwide, including life-threatening Flaviviruses, such as Dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV). Currently, there is only one licensed vaccine against Dengue, Dengvaxia®. However, its administration is not recommended for children under nine years. Still, there are no specific inhibitors available to treat these infectious diseases. Among the flaviviral proteins, NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a metalloenzyme essential for viral replication, suggesting that it is a promising macromolecular target since it has no human homolog. Nowadays, several NS5 RdRp inhibitors have been reported, while none inhibitors are currently in clinical development. In this context, this review constitutes a comprehensive work focused on RdRp inhibitors from natural, synthetic, and even repurposing sources. Furthermore, their main aspects associated with the structure-activity relationship (SAR), proposed mechanisms of action, computational studies, and other topics will be discussed in detail.
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Ninvilai P, Tunterak W, Prakairungnamthip D, Oraveerakul K, Thontiravong A. Development and Validation of a Universal One-Step RT-PCR Assay for Broad Detection of Duck Tembusu Virus. Avian Dis 2021; 64:294-299. [PMID: 33205167 DOI: 10.1637/aviandiseases-d-19-00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, has been identified as a causative agent of an emerging disease in ducks. Since its first report in 2010, several clusters of DTMUV have increasingly been identified and caused outbreaks in many Asian countries. This highlights the need for improved and novel broad detection assays in order to detect all circulating clusters of DTMUV. In this study, a universal one-step reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay targeting a highly conserved region of the NS5 gene was developed and validated for broad detection of all DTMUV clusters. The newly developed universal RT-PCR assay could specifically detect all clusters of DTMUV without cross-reactions with common duck viruses and other related flaviviruses. The assay was able to detect DTMUV as low as a 0.001 50% embryo lethal dose/milliliter. The performance of the assay was evaluated by using experimental and field clinical samples. The assay could successfully detect DTMUV in all experimentally DTMUV-infected samples and gave a higher DTMUV detection rate (36%) than the previously reported envelope-specific RT-PCR assay (30%) in field clinical samples. All the positive samples were confirmed DTMUV-positive by DNA sequencing. In conclusion, the newly developed universal RT-PCR assay exhibited high accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity in broad DTMUV detection, thus providing an improved screening assay for routine detection and epidemiologic surveillance of DTMUV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patchareeporn Ninvilai
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
| | - Wikanda Tunterak
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330.,Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals (CUEIDAs), Center of Excellence, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
| | - Duangduean Prakairungnamthip
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330.,Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals (CUEIDAs), Center of Excellence, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
| | - Kanisak Oraveerakul
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
| | - Aunyaratana Thontiravong
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330.,Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals (CUEIDAs), Center of Excellence, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330.,Animal Vector-Borne Disease Research Unit, Veterinary Parasitology Unit, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
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Virtual Screening and Molecular Docking Studies for Discovery of Potential RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Inhibitors. CRYSTALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst11050471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Globally, this pandemic has affected over 111 million individuals and posed many health and economic challenges. Much research effort is dedicated to discovering new treatments to address the associated challenges and restrict the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Since SARS-CoV-2 is a positive-strand RNA virus, its replication requires the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme. In this study, we report the discovery of new potential RdRp enzyme inhibitors based on computer modeling and simulation methodologies. The antiviral ZINC database was utilized for covalent docking virtual screening followed by molecular inter-action analyses based on reported hot spots within the RdRp binding pocket (PDB: 7BV2). Eleven molecules, ZINC000014944915, ZINC000027556215, ZINC000013556344, ZINC000003589958, ZINC000003833965, ZINC000001642252, ZINC000028525778, ZINC000027557701, ZINC000013781295, ZINC000001651128 and ZINC000013473324, were shown to have the highest binding interactions. These molecules were further assessed by molecular dynamics (MD) simu-lations and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) studies. The results showed that all 11 molecules except ZINC000027557701 formed stable complexes with the viral RdRp and fell within the accepted ADMET parameters. The identified molecules can be used to design future potential RdRp inhibitors.
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Song W, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Lin Y, Han Y, Jiang J. Identification and Characterization of Zika Virus NS5 Methyltransferase Inhibitors. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:665379. [PMID: 33898335 PMCID: PMC8058401 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.665379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The recurring outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) worldwide makes an emergent demand for novel, safe and efficacious anti-ZIKV agents. ZIKV non-structural protein 5 (NS5) methyltransferase (MTase), which is essential for viral replication, is regarded as a potential drug target. In our study, a luminescence-based methyltransferase assay was used to establish the ZIKV NS5 MTase inhibitor screening model. Through screening a natural product library, we found theaflavin, a polyphenol derived from tea, could inhibit ZIKV NS5 MTase activity with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 10.10 μM. Molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis analyses identified D146 as the key amino acid in the interaction between ZIKV NS5 MTase and theaflavin. The SPR assay indicated that theaflavin had a stronger binding activity with ZIKV NS5 wild-type (WT)-MTase than it with D146A-MTase. Moreover, theaflavin exhibited a dose dependent inhibitory effect on ZIKV replication with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 8.19 μM. All these results indicate that theaflavin is likely to be a promising lead compound against ZIKV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibao Song
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hongjuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yanxing Han
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiandong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Function of Natural Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Zika Virus Pathogenesis: A Battle for Immune Evasion. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9030294. [PMID: 33810028 PMCID: PMC8005041 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9030294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and its associated congenital and other neurological disorders, particularly microcephaly and other fetal developmental abnormalities, constitute a World Health Organization (WHO) Zika Virus Research Agenda within the WHO’s R&D Blueprint for Action to Prevent Epidemics, and continue to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) today. ZIKV pathogenicity is initiated by viral infection and propagation across multiple placental and fetal tissue barriers, and is critically strengthened by subverting host immunity. ZIKV immune evasion involves viral non-structural proteins, genomic and non-coding RNA and microRNA (miRNA) to modulate interferon (IFN) signaling and production, interfering with intracellular signal pathways and autophagy, and promoting cellular environment changes together with secretion of cellular components to escape innate and adaptive immunity and further infect privileged immune organs/tissues such as the placenta and eyes. This review includes a description of recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying ZIKV immune modulation and evasion that strongly condition viral pathogenesis, which would certainly contribute to the development of anti-ZIKV strategies, drugs, and vaccines.
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Sofosbuvir Selects for Drug-Resistant Amino Acid Variants in the Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase Complex In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052670. [PMID: 33800884 PMCID: PMC7962015 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleotide analog sofosbuvir, licensed for the treatment of hepatitis C, recently revealed activity against the Zika virus (ZIKV) in vitro and in animal models. However, the ZIKV genetic barrier to sofosbuvir has not yet been characterized. In this study, in vitro selection experiments were performed in infected human hepatoma cell lines. Increasing drug pressure significantly delayed viral breakthrough (p = 0.029). A double mutant in the NS5 gene (V360L/V607I) emerged in 3 independent experiments at 40–80 µM sofosbuvir resulting in a 3.9 ± 0.9-fold half- maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) shift with respect to the wild type (WT) virus. A triple mutant (C269Y/V360L/V607I), detected in one experiment at 80 µM, conferred a 6.8-fold IC50 shift with respect to the WT. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the double mutant V360L/V607I impacts the binding mode of sofosbuvir, supporting its role in sofosbuvir resistance. Due to the distance from the catalytic site and to the lack of reliable structural data, the contribution of C269Y was not investigated in silico. By a combination of sequence analysis, phenotypic susceptibility testing, and molecular modeling, we characterized a double ZIKV NS5 mutant with decreased sofosbuvir susceptibility. These data add important information to the profile of sofosbuvir as a possible lead for anti-ZIKV drug development.
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Dey D, Poudyal S, Rehman A, Hasan SS. Structural and biochemical insights into flavivirus proteins. Virus Res 2021; 296:198343. [PMID: 33607183 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are the fastest spreading arthropod-borne viruses that cause severe symptoms such as hepatitis, hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, and congenital deformities. Nearly 40 % of the entire human population is at risk of flavivirus epidemics. Yet, effective vaccination is restricted only to a few flaviviruses such as yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses, and most recently for select cases of dengue virus infections. Despite the global spread of dengue virus, and emergence of new threats such as Zika virus and a new genotype of Japanese encephalitis virus, insights into flavivirus targets for potentially broad-spectrum vaccination are limited. In this review article, we highlight biochemical and structural differences in flavivirus proteins critical for virus assembly and host interactions. A comparative sequence analysis of pH-responsive properties of viral structural proteins identifies trends in conservation of complementary acidic-basic character between interacting viral structural proteins. This is highly relevant to the understanding of pH-sensitive differences in virus assembly in organelles such as neutral ER and acidic Golgi. Surface residues in viral interfaces identified by structural approaches are shown to demonstrate partial conservation, further reinforcing virus-specificity in assembly and interactions with host proteins. A comparative analysis of epitope conservation in emerging flaviviruses identifies therapeutic antibody candidates that have potential as broad spectrum anti-virals, thus providing a path towards development of vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debajit Dey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
| | - Shishir Poudyal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W. State Street, West Lafayette IN 47907, USA
| | - Asma Rehman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
| | - S Saif Hasan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 108 N. Greene Street, Baltimore MD 21201, USA; University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22. S. Greene St. Baltimore MD 21201, USA; Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville MD 20850, USA.
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Noreen, Ali R, Badshah SL, Faheem M, Abbasi SW, Ullah R, Bari A, Jamal SB, Mahmood HM, Haider A, Haider S. Identification of potential inhibitors of Zika virus NS5 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase through virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulations. Saudi Pharm J 2020; 28:1580-1591. [PMID: 33424251 PMCID: PMC7783101 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is one of the mosquito borne flavivirus with several outbreaks in past few years in tropical and subtropical regions. The non-structural proteins of flaviviruses are suitable active targets for inhibitory drugs due to their role in pathogenicity. In ZIKV, the non-structural protein 5 (NS5) RNA-Dependent RNA polymerase replicates its genome. Here we have performed virtual screening to identify suitable ligands that can potentially halt the ZIKV NS5 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). During this process, we searched and screened a library of ligands against ZIKV NS5 RdRp. The selected ligands with significant binding energy and ligand-receptor interactions were further processed. Among the selected docked conformations, top five was further optimized at atomic level using molecular dynamic simulations followed by binding free energy calculations. The interactions of ligands with the target structure of ZIKV RdRp revealed that they form strong bonds within the active sites of the receptor molecule. The efficacy of these drugs against ZIKV can be further analyzed through in-vitro and in-vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
- Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Roshan Ali
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Syed Lal Badshah
- Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Faheem
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sumra Wajid Abbasi
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Riaz Ullah
- Department of Pharmacognosy (MAPPRC), College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Bari
- Department of Pharmacuitcal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Babar Jamal
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Majid Mahmood
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adnan Haider
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sajjad Haider
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Saade M, Ferrero DS, Blanco-Ameijeiras J, Gonzalez-Gobartt E, Flores-Mendez M, Ruiz-Arroyo VM, Martínez-Sáez E, Ramón Y Cajal S, Akizu N, Verdaguer N, Martí E. Multimerization of Zika Virus-NS5 Causes Ciliopathy and Forces Premature Neurogenesis. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 27:920-936.e8. [PMID: 33147489 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZikV) is a flavivirus that infects neural tissues, causing congenital microcephaly. ZikV has evolved multiple mechanisms to restrict proliferation and enhance cell death, although the underlying cellular events involved remain unclear. Here we show that the ZikV-NS5 protein interacts with host proteins at the base of the primary cilia in neural progenitor cells, causing an atypical non-genetic ciliopathy and premature neuron delamination. Furthermore, in human microcephalic fetal brain tissue, ZikV-NS5 persists at the base of the motile cilia in ependymal cells, which also exhibit a severe ciliopathy. Although the enzymatic activity of ZikV-NS5 appears to be dispensable, the amino acids Y25, K28, and K29 that are involved in NS5 oligomerization are essential for localization and interaction with components of the cilium base, promoting ciliopathy and premature neurogenesis. These findings lay the foundation for therapies that target ZikV-NS5 multimerization and prevent the developmental malformations associated with congenital Zika syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murielle Saade
- Developmental Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
| | - Diego S Ferrero
- Structural Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - José Blanco-Ameijeiras
- Developmental Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Elena Gonzalez-Gobartt
- Developmental Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Marco Flores-Mendez
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Victor M Ruiz-Arroyo
- Structural Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Elena Martínez-Sáez
- Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Translational Molecular Pathology, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Spanish Biomedical Research Network Centre in Oncology (CIBERONC), Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Santiago Ramón Y Cajal
- Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Translational Molecular Pathology, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Spanish Biomedical Research Network Centre in Oncology (CIBERONC), Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Naiara Akizu
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nuria Verdaguer
- Structural Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Elisa Martí
- Developmental Biology Department, Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, C/Baldiri i Reixac 20, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
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Non-nucleoside Inhibitors of Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.00794-20. [PMID: 32796069 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00794-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) remains a potentially significant public health concern because it can cause teratogenic effects, such as microcephaly in newborns and neurological disease, like Guillain-Barré syndrome. Together with efforts to develop a vaccine, the discovery of antiviral molecules is important to control ZIKV infections and to prevent its most severe symptoms. Here, we report the development of small nonnucleoside inhibitors (NNIs) of ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity. These NNIs target an allosteric pocket (N pocket) located next to a putative hinge region between the thumb and the palm subdomains that was originally described for dengue virus (DENV) RdRp. We first tested the activity of DENV RdRp N-pocket inhibitors against ZIKV RdRp, introduced chemical modifications into these molecules, and assessed their potency using both enzymatic and cell-based assays. The most potent compound had a 50% inhibitory concentration value of 7.3 μM and inhibited ZIKV replication in a cell-based assay with a 50% effective concentration value of 24.3 μM. Importantly, we report four high-resolution crystal structures detailing how these NNIs insert into the N pocket of ZIKV RdRp. Our observations point to subtle differences in the size, shape, chemical environment, and hydration of the N pocket from ZIKV RdRp from those of the N pocket from DENV RdRp that are crucial for the design of improved antiviral inhibitors with activity against ZIKV.IMPORTANCE Zika virus belongs to the Flavivirus genus, which comprises several important human pathogens. There is currently neither an approved vaccine nor antiviral drugs available to prevent infection by ZIKV. The nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) polymerase, which is responsible for replicating the viral RNA genome, represents one of the most promising targets for antiviral drug development. Starting from compounds recently developed against dengue virus NS5, we designed and synthesized inhibitors targeting Zika virus NS5. We show that these novel compounds inhibit viral replication by targeting the polymerase activity. High-resolution X-ray crystallographic structures of protein-inhibitor complexes demonstrated specific binding to an allosteric site within the polymerase, called the N pocket. This work paves the way for the future structure-based design of potent compounds specifically targeting ZIKV RNA polymerase activity.
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Wang B, Thurmond S, Zhou K, Sánchez-Aparicio MT, Fang J, Lu J, Gao L, Ren W, Cui Y, Veit EC, Hong H, Evans MJ, O'Leary SE, García-Sastre A, Zhou ZH, Hai R, Song J. Structural basis for STAT2 suppression by flavivirus NS5. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:875-885. [PMID: 32778820 PMCID: PMC7554153 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0472-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Suppressing cellular signal transducers of transcription 2 (STAT2) is a common strategy viruses use to establish infections, yet the detailed mechanism remains elusive due to lack of structural information of the viral-cellular complex involved. Here, we report the cryo-EM and crystal structures of human STAT2 (hSTAT2) in complex with the non-structural protein 5 (NS5) of Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV), revealing two-pronged interactions between NS5 and hSTAT2. First, the NS5 methyltransferase and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) domains form a conserved inter-domain cleft harboring the coiled-coil domain of hSTAT2, thus preventing association of hSTAT2 with interferon regulatory factor 9. Second, the NS5 RdRP domain also binds the N-terminal domain of hSTAT2. Disruption of these ZIKV NS5–hSTAT2 interactions compromised NS5-mediated hSTAT2 degradation and interferon suppression, and viral infection under interferon-competent condition. Taken together, these results clarify the mechanism underlying the functional antagonism of STAT2 by both ZIKV and DENV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boxiao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie Thurmond
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.,Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Kang Zhou
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maria T Sánchez-Aparicio
- GlobalHealth and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jian Fang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jiuwei Lu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Linfeng Gao
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Wendan Ren
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Yanxiang Cui
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ethan C Veit
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - HeaJin Hong
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Matthew J Evans
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Seán E O'Leary
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- GlobalHealth and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Z Hong Zhou
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Departement of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Rong Hai
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA. .,Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
| | - Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA. .,Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
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44
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Antibiotic fidaxomicin is an RdRp inhibitor as a potential new therapeutic agent against Zika virus. BMC Med 2020; 18:204. [PMID: 32731873 PMCID: PMC7392643 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01663-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a global health problem, and its complications, including congenital Zika syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome, constitute a continued threat to humans. Unfortunately, effective therapeutics against ZIKV infection are not available thus far. METHODS We screened the compounds collection consisting of 1789 FDA-approved drugs by a computational docking method to obtain anti-ZIKV candidate compounds targeting ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). SPR (BIAcore) assay was employed to demonstrate the candidate compounds' direct binding to ZIKV RdRp, and polymerase activity assay was used to determine the inhibitory effect on ZIKV RdRp-catalyzed RNA synthesis. The antiviral effects on ZIKV in vitro and in vivo were detected in infected cultured cells and in Ifnar1-/- mice infected by ZIKV virus using plaque assay, western blotting, tissue immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Here, we report that a first-in-class macrocyclic antibiotic, which has been clinically used to treat Clostridium difficile infection, fidaxomicin, potently inhibits ZIKV replication in vitro and in vivo. Our data showed that fidaxomicin was effective against African and Asian lineage ZIKV in a wide variety of cell lines of various tissue origins, and prominently suppressed ZIKV infection and significantly improved survival of infected mice. In addition, fidaxomicin treatment reduced the virus load in the brains and testes, and alleviated ZIKV-associated pathological damages, such as paralysis, hunching, and neuronal necrosis in the cerebra. Furthermore, our mechanistic study showed that fidaxomicin directly bound ZIKV NS5 protein and inhibited the RNA synthesis-catalyzing activity of ZIKV RdRp. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that fidaxomicin may represent an effective anti-ZIKV agent. In the light that fidaxomicin is already a clinically used drug, there might be a promising prospect in the development of fidaxomicin to be an antiviral therapeutic.
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45
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Chagas M, Rocha W, Moraes A. Dynamics and allostery of Zika virus non-structural protein 5 methyltransferase. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 39:5526-5538. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1792343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Chagas
- Departamento de Química, ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Willian Rocha
- Departamento de Química, ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Adolfo Moraes
- Departamento de Química, ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
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46
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Peng Q, Peng R, Yuan B, Zhao J, Wang M, Wang X, Wang Q, Sun Y, Fan Z, Qi J, Gao GF, Shi Y. Structural and Biochemical Characterization of the nsp12-nsp7-nsp8 Core Polymerase Complex from SARS-CoV-2. Cell Rep 2020; 31:107774. [PMID: 32531208 PMCID: PMC7260489 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a huge number of human deaths. Currently, there are no specific drugs or vaccines available for this virus (SARS-CoV-2). The viral polymerase is a promising antiviral target. Here, we describe the near-atomic-resolution structure of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase complex consisting of the nsp12 catalytic subunit and nsp7-nsp8 cofactors. This structure highly resembles the counterpart of SARS-CoV with conserved motifs for all viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases and suggests a mechanism of activation by cofactors. Biochemical studies reveal reduced activity of the core polymerase complex and lower thermostability of individual subunits of SARS-CoV-2 compared with SARS-CoV. These findings provide important insights into RNA synthesis by coronavirus polymerase and indicate adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 toward humans with a relatively lower body temperature than the natural bat hosts. Cryo-EM structure of SARS-CoV-2 nsp12-nsp7-nsp8 core polymerase complex The core complex of SARS-CoV-2 has lower enzymatic activity than SARS-CoV SARS-CoV-2 nsp7-8-12 subunits are less thermostable than the SARS-CoV counterpart
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ruchao Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bin Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingru Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Min Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xixi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qian Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zheng Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Influenza Research and Early Warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Influenza Research and Early Warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yi Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Influenza Research and Early Warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Chongqing General Hospital, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400013, China; College of Basic Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
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47
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Yun SI, Song BH, Woolley ME, Frank JC, Julander JG, Lee YM. Development, Characterization, and Application of Two Reporter-Expressing Recombinant Zika Viruses. Viruses 2020; 12:v12050572. [PMID: 32456014 PMCID: PMC7290298 DOI: 10.3390/v12050572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne transplacentally transmissible flavivirus, is an enveloped virus with an ~10.8 kb plus-strand RNA genome that can cause neurological disease. To facilitate the identification of potential antivirals, we developed two reporter-expressing ZIKVs, each capable of expressing an enhanced green fluorescent protein or an improved luminescent NanoLuc luciferase. First, a full-length functional ZIKV cDNA clone was engineered as a bacterial artificial chromosome, with each reporter gene under the cap-independent translational control of a cardiovirus-derived internal ribosome entry site inserted downstream of the single open reading frame of the viral genome. Two reporter-expressing ZIKVs were then generated by transfection of ZIKV-susceptible BHK-21 cells with infectious RNAs derived by in vitro run-off transcription from the respective cDNAs. As compared to the parental virus, the two reporter-expressing ZIKVs grew to lower titers with slower growth kinetics and formed smaller foci; however, they displayed a genome-wide viral protein expression profile identical to that of the parental virus, except for two previously unrecognized larger forms of the C and NS1 proteins. We then used the NanoLuc-expressing ZIKV to assess the in vitro antiviral activity of three inhibitors (T-705, NITD-008, and ribavirin). Altogether, our reporter-expressing ZIKVs represent an excellent molecular tool for the discovery of novel antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Im Yun
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Byung-Hak Song
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Michael E. Woolley
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Jordan C. Frank
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
| | - Justin G. Julander
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Young-Min Lee
- Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA; (S.-I.Y.); (B.-H.S.); (M.E.W.); (J.C.F.); (J.G.J.)
- Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Diseases, Utah Science Technology and Research, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84341, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-435-797-9667
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48
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Fajardo T, Sanford TJ, Mears HV, Jasper A, Storrie S, Mansur DS, Sweeney TR. The flavivirus polymerase NS5 regulates translation of viral genomic RNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:5081-5093. [PMID: 32313955 PMCID: PMC7229856 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Flaviviruses, including dengue virus and Zika virus, contain a single-stranded positive sense RNA genome that encodes viral proteins essential for replication and also serves as the template for new genome synthesis. As these processes move in opposite directions along the genome, translation must be inhibited at a defined point following infection to clear the template of ribosomes to allow efficient replication. Here, we demonstrate in vitro and in cell-based assays that the viral RNA polymerase, NS5, inhibits translation of the viral genome. By reconstituting translation in vitro using highly purified components, we show that this translation block occurs at the initiation stage and that translation inhibition depends on NS5-RNA interaction, primarily through association with the 5' replication promoter region. This work supports a model whereby expression of a viral protein signals successful translation of the infecting genome, prompting a switch to a ribosome depleted replication-competent form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teodoro Fajardo
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas J Sanford
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Harriet V Mears
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Annika Jasper
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Skye Storrie
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
| | - Daniel S Mansur
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Trevor R Sweeney
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK
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Bharadwaj S, Rao AK, Dwivedi VD, Mishra SK, Yadava U. Structure-based screening and validation of bioactive compounds as Zika virus methyltransferase (MTase) inhibitors through first-principle density functional theory, classical molecular simulation and QM/MM affinity estimation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 39:2338-2351. [PMID: 32216596 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1747545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak and association with human diseases such as neurological disorders have raised global health concerns. However, in the absence of an approved anti-ZIKV drug has generated urgency for the drug development against ZIKV infection. Here, structure-based virtual screening of 8589 bioactive compounds, screened at the substrate-binding site of ZIKV nonstructural 5 (NS5)-based structure N-terminal methyltransferase (MTase) domain followed by ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) profiling concluded the four potential lead inhibitors, i.e. (4-acetylamino-benzenesulfonylamino)-acetic acid (F3342-0450), 3-(5-methylfuran-2-yl)-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)propanamide (F1736-0142), 8-(2-hydroxy-ethylamino)-1,3-dimethyl-7-(3-methyl-benzyl)-3,7-dihydro-purine-2,6-dione (F0886-0080) and N-[4-(aminosulfonyl)phenyl]-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxine-2-carboxamide (F0451-2187). Collectively, extra precision docking and Density Functional Theory(DFT) calculations studies identified the F3342-0450 molecule, having strong interactions on the active site of MTase, further supported by molecular dynamics simulation, binding affinity and hybrid QM/MM calculations, suggest a new drug molecule for the antiviral drug development against ZIKV infection. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Bharadwaj
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Akhilesh Kumar Rao
- Department of Physics, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India
| | - Vivek Dhar Dwivedi
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Computational and Systems Biology, Pathfinder Research and Training Foundation, Greater Noida, India
| | - Sarad Kumar Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India
| | - Umesh Yadava
- Department of Physics, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India
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50
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Molecular dynamics simulation of zika virus NS5 RNA dependent RNA polymerase with selected novel non-nucleoside inhibitors. J Mol Struct 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2019.127428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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